Should informed consent for cancer treatment include a discussion about hospital outcome disparities?
Several studies have found disparities in the outcome of medical procedures across different hospitals--better outcomes have been associated with higher procedure volume. An Institute of Medicine workshop found such a "volume-outcome relationship" for two types of cancer surgery: resection of the pancreas and esophagus (http://www.iom.edu/?id=31508). This debate examines whether physicians have an ethical obligation to inform patients of hospital outcome disparities for these cancers.
Housri
Nadine
N
Weil
Robert J
RJ
Shalowitz
David I
DI
Koniaris
Leonidas G
LG
D006761:Hospitals / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*